Business
HistoryBusiness
HistoryOwner: Mike Muskovitz
Born: April 23rd 1947
Business Started: 1973 Mail Order Only
1st Retail Shop: 1978, 1408 W. Windlake Ave, Milw. Moved in 1980 to West Oklahoma Ave location. Had a fire in 1980 and lost over 95% of merchandise.
Employees: Daughters, Dawn Muskovitz (the current designer and maintainer of this site), and Carrie Muskovitz.
Store contents:
Other Undertakings:
Produced Magazine on Sun Records.
Owns Record label specializing in releasing recordings by Wisconsin artists of the past. One of which: Ken Davis - Shook Shake, Made the D.J. charts in the U.K.
Sponsored the first record fest (collectors convention) in Milwaukee in 1978, and contracted with past Sun & Liberty recording artist Warren Smith to appear at that function. Also has unreleased master tapes of that event for possible future use.
Writer: Wrote articles for Goldmine Magazine, Time Barrier Express, Paperback Writer, Etc.
Mike started this business by being a collector himself. One day while browsing through his own collection, he noticed that there were numerous duplicate purchases, and decided to sell them to friends, in order to buy different selections for himself. This proved to be very successful and continued on to become a business.
The business didn't really begin to prosper until Mike met a few owners of other record labels that were known for recording some super stars of the past. Johnny Vincent (not the rock star) was one owner who recorded such artists as Jimmy Clanton (Go, Jimmy, Go), and Frankie Ford (sea cruise). Johnny's label was Ace Records from Jackson, Mississippi.
Mike was lucky enough to be able to buy many thousands of hard to find records from Johnny Vincent long ago. Another now well known record label owner was Sam C. Phillips, who everyone knew gave Elvis his start in music, also helped Mike on his way. Mike can remember driving down to Memphis on the weekend just to stop by Sun records and buy a few thousand 45's. Back then they were only 25 cent each, and he remembers buying well over 10,000 bright yellow Sun records from Memphis, Tennessee. Sam also gave Mike permission to write a magazine on Sun records, and in particular the Memphis in May Festival, a reunion get-together where many of the past recording stars on Sun were present to both perform and share stories about their good times at Sun. Mike still has many copies of this classic magazine available, and can be purchased for $5.00 plus postage.
Today Mike's mementos hang on the walls of his office, hallway, and family room; autographs of people like Sam Phillips, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Stan Kessler, Dicky Lee, and Rick Nelson just to name a few.
Mike has been on television both in the United States and Canada talking about music, has had articles written about him in newspapers and magazines like the Milwaukee Journal, Toronto Star, and the Texas Monthly. He has done guest appearances on radio stations playing and promoting the music of the past. He also did Mobile DJ work - Oldies Sock Hops in 1976, long before popularity made it a booming business for the numerous now doing it.
When asked what Mean Mountain Music means, Mike has a simple reply - "Mean Mountain Music" means memories. All the songs by all the artists you grew up with. The songs that remind you of your Mother, Brother, First Kiss, Prom, Sons and Daughters who have now grown up and moved away. Mean Mountain Music is the kind of store we all need, to escape from today and return to yesterday. It continues on in the future, but will always live in the past.
For any further information, feel free to inquire at any time.